RI Active: River Island Debuts Activewear Line

Activewear is something every woman needs to have in her wardrobe; it doesn’t even necessarily mean you have to work out, but it does elevate the experience. London-based River Island has taken its steps to join this market, and in doing so has created a new line of clothes to help begin or expand any activewear closet. RI Active is River Island’s first activewear line, which you will be able to shop on the retailer’s website already next month.

“Activewear is such a huge market at the moment ” with athleisure and wellness both being huge trends, we felt 2016 was the right time to launce the collection, especially with the ever rising presence of fitness sensations on social media,” River Island designer Hannah Hope told British Vogue of the new line.

RI Active will be releasing its first collection in May, with a variety of staple pieces and some more unique additions. In the line, you will find athletic leggings and shorts, vests and gilets, fleece jackets and ponchos, and crop tops. According to Hope, the garments in the line were closely assessed, in order to ensure a clear distinction between sportswear and other everyday pieces. And in a day where activewear is doubling as ready-to-wear, this distinction is actually more important than ever. Many women who opt to wear athletic clothing through their daily lives do so with this distinction in mind (perhaps sometimes even with the hope that others will see their active lifestyle!), so continuing on with this is a mold River Island will not be breaking with their new line. But of course, they were still able to put their fashionable mark on everything.

“It’s important to us to ensure the range is technical as well as being fashion focused,” Hope continued. “We have used breathable and active stretch fabrics for maximum comfort with all of the styles ergonomically designed to flatter and support the body, for example deep waistbands for sculpting the body; special seaming; and double-layered fabrics.”

The technical aspects will be noticeable for the wearer and others, and the structure will make for a comfortable, yet still stylish, workout experience. And of course the visible appeal will be just as strong as the supporting characteristics, as RI is a great brand for keeping up-to-date with the latest trends. Hope even said the collection was made to be “fashion forward and in keeping with the River Island brand aesthetic.”

The designer continued to reveal more about the upcoming River Island activewear collection and what it will contain. “This includes strong urban camouflage prints, irreverent slogan vests, and vibrant pops of color. Our aim is for our customer to look good whilst keeping fit.”

The collection contains 23 pieces, and will be available in stores and online in sizes 6-18 (U.K. sizing) when the collection goes lives next month. The price range for the pieces will be between ¬¨¬®¬¨¬£18 and ¬¨¬®¬¨¬£38.

Courtney is a student majoring in mass communication and professional writing. She works as a writer and editor, and has a wide variety of hobbies, such as fashion, reading/writing poetry, sewing, and playing video games.